“Thank you for your suggestion”: investigating the relationship between video game influencers’ credibility and gamers’ microtransaction intentions

Purpose Influencer marketing has been an interesting development in the video game domain. The focus of the game-based marketing is shifting from advergames to livestream and influencer marketing. Influencer credibility is a critical phenomenon in influencer marketing. Drawing from source credibility theory, this study investigates the effect of influencers’ credibility on microtransaction intentions and explores the mediating role of gamers’ trust in influencers’ suggestions. Additionally, it examines the moderating effect of gamers’ attachment to gaming.Design/Methodology/Approach Data were collected from 225 gamers, and structural equation modeling was used for data analysis.Findings Results revealed a positive relationship between influencer credibility and microtransaction intention and a significant moderating effect of attachment on this relationship.Practical implications Practical implications are suggested for leveraging influencer marketing effectively in the gaming domain. It includes collaboration between the game publisher and the influencers, promotion of in-game items, and persuading gamers towards microtransactions.Research contribution This study empirically validates source credibility theory by evaluating the interplay of influencer credibility, trust, and attachment in shaping gamers’ microtransaction intentions.